Update Now: Windows Phone 8 devices get maps refresh

We reported earlier in the week on s slew of updates for Maps but in case you missed it these apply to all Windows Phone 8 handsets. Windows Phone 8 has been designed with the ability to download and install maps that can be used offline.

From time to time these will get updated with improved detail or just changes that normally happen to maps over time. Unlike other updates the maps don’t appear to have a push mechanism so you’ll have to kick the process off manually. Read on to find out how.

The ability to download a map for offline use has a few advantages. The first being you will always have access to a map regardless of if you have a mobile data connection or not. The second is that even if you do have a data connection you won’t burn up your precious data allowance re-downloading maps over and over.

If you are already familiar with how to download maps skip step one and head to step two

STEP 1

Download Maps - Find Map - Click to download

Let’s get started, on your phone go to the Settings Menu, swipe over to Applications and click on maps. Here you have the option to download Maps, click on the button which says ‘download maps’.

At the bottom you can see a + sign, hit that and you can then go through the menus to download maps for your entire country or just a specific region. In my case I have the entire United Kingdom Maps installed. Pick your map and it will then download and install. It’s as simple as that. You can download as many maps as you desire, space permitting.

STEP 2

To update you existing maps go to the Setting Menu, swipe across to Applications, select Maps and click the button to update. If there is an update available it will then download and install.

Settings - Check for updates - install.

Now that maps are available to download offline its essential that you keep them updated. Now you know how to do so. We have had confirmation from many other readers that updates are going out to most regions.

Let us know if you experience any big changes to maps, comments are open. Thanks, Larry, for the reminder!

Hi this is Pino from the HERE team at Nokia. Nokia Drive for WP8 does have spoken street names. To enable this option, please go to Nokia Drive > Settings > Navigation Voice and download any voice with "announced street names".

I currently have just the USA map (Bahamas and Cayman Islands came installed for some odd reason but I deleted those), is there any difference in the national map vs just getting a few state maps. What I mean, is there better detail on the individual state maps versus the national map?

Hi this is Pino from the HERE team at Nokia. Actually there is also a maps update for WP7 being rolled out right now. However, on WP7 there is no central repository for offline maps, those are only available in Nokia Drive.

Hi this is Pino from the HERE team at Nokia. Tapping your smartphone to get the next instruction is not turn-by-turn navigation. This is provided by Nokia Drive which is being made available to other WP8 manufacturers.

I actually received a notification that "your maps are out of date. Would you like to update them now?" a couple of days ago while I was out in central London. I first downloaded them about a month ago - so maybe you had already downloaded the updated maps and the notification is just late.

Note to article author: while there is no push notification, it does apparently check every now and then if you actually open the maps app.

If you wanted to download the entire United State map on your data connection, that would be 2GB. Most map sets are about 200MB minimum. Dont you think its wise they play it safe and ask the download to happen on Wi-Fi?

Or Panera, Barnes & Noble, Whole Foods, or Cosi? Or your local library, many train stations, most malls, not to mention a slew of independent places. There's many free wifi options available in just about all areas these days.

This is the issue. Not everyone is on a provisioned plan. I am now (switched to AT&T) but I came from Sprint, and it was maddening that there were things I could not download over 3G. It is absolutely reasonable to warn someone, even to make them click through "Are you sure?" "Are you really sure?" "Are you really, really, sure?" but there should always be a way to override everything that is built in "for my protection." I do not need to be coddled by my phone.
In that respect WP is very condescending.

Actually, the "new" bing map doesn't feature turn by turn navigation, and sadly, bing can't redirect you to existing apps like Navigon if you have it. It's just made to redirect to Nokia Drive if you have a Nokia device...